Crate or box



Feb. 8,1927. 1,616,618 7 B. E. GAYLORD v VCRATE on 30x Filed Nov. 11;1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 aye/7%? Patented Feb. 8, 1927. l 1

wa t tree era TIES :Pa-teivrj BEN-HIE 1E. eA- Lonn, or LAKEWOOD, omo,

, rnonocrsoa s'r. PAUL, MINNESOTA, CORPORATION, on

V CRATE on 1302;.

7 Application filed IiT ovember 11, i925.) Serial No. tasse "Thisinvention relates to crates of a col lapsible type torreturn shipmenttothe fac tory or other place from which it has been shipped, and moreparticularly to a crate pe: culiarly adapted fo -shipment of plateglass," although'its uses and applications are many and various. i, E

Collapsible crates are :not new in themselves,,but all have involvedconstructions of a complicated and expensive natureand most ot-them havebeen impractically construct ed. In orderto overcome .vtheva-rious defects, and disadvantages of theprior art, I have devised acratejwhichjinay be cheaply constructed, one which maybe. c'heaplyandeasily 'manutactured, one which may be manufactured fronia minimumamount of lumber, the component parts of which may be -readily andquickly assembled, secured together, and ,shipped without danger ofdamage or breakage to the "articles shipped therein, and one which, atits: destination, may-be easily unpacked with the utmost facility,resolved into itscomponent parts and returnedaha minimum of l expense toits a original point'of shipment.

One; object of the invention, therefore,

to,provide a crate{construction which will be chea'p to manufacture butstrong and durable-innse, the-while providing. construc- *tionalfeaturesof extre ne simplicity;

Another important crate constructionin which the top, bottom, sides andendscooperate in interlocking eng 'gagement when assembled, to insureasubr ei er side tromithe top,

' ends tendingtourge these portions of the crateinwardlyandto crush thecontents, will be resisted, not only bythese portions of the cratethemselves but the adj acent, portions. V g 1 A further. object of theinvention resides in the provision oi separable portions or sections ofthe crate, e.,-top, bottom, sides, and ends, constructed in the mannerabove set forth't-o provide a rigid structure and so that when the cratehasreached its destination on a shipment it may be quickly unfl packed,dissembled,

' space. and returned tojthe tactory or, other lace from which theshipment was made;

A still further object isto provide a crate of the character above.specified, the several sections Of'WVghlCh may beassernbled and, heldcured together je j o provide a packed into a small 'terior memassreno'a Fro wnirnnrninnsnit FQR IilST assembled relation without theuse of nails, screws,

the option of the -.shipp er or user. In this connection the cratein'its preferred torm' ha s' its component portions-or 'sections;se-' bymeansiofbands' of metal, wlre straps, or t and removed at thedestinationand replaced with a new binding on re-use.

Many other objects,ot-fimport'ance and other objects including thedetails of construction should' be-readily appreciated after bolts, orthe like, ifdesir e'd, at"

he like, which inaybe cut the perusal of the specification and claims aand after viewing the drawing in which:

' Fig; 1 is an isometric view of a' craite con-11 stru'cted inaccordance with one "form 'ofmy invention, j v I" Figs. 2, 3,; and ,4are top p lan,=end elev'a-' tional, and side elevational viewsrespecftively of'the top anfd bottomse c'tions of the crate, I; 1 1"Figs. 5, 6, and"7;arefltop,- end elevational,

one of theside sections,-and 'Figs."8,.9, and-'10gare' similar viewsofone of the end sections' r v Thefcrate is composed of top 'andbotto'msections identical in 1cons'tructioi'i; one with the other, two sidesection's-alsoidenticalin construction, one withthe, other," and 1 twoend sections also-Jidenticali in construction, one, with the other. Forthistreason, a de-' scription ofa'f top section, of aside section, ofan'end sectionai d their several features of construction'an'dassemblywill su'flice, stantially rigidjstructfie; so that .pressurebottom, .orI

' Top a/hd bottom sections. i

These sections are each composed-of a plurality of parallel longitudinalI members 2, 3, 4, 5, and {6, preferably of unito'rm'jthi ck ness,spaced ap'art a' -slight distance," as shown edge abetting relation, andconnected or securedin this relation-"bytransverse bars '7, {8,9 and 10,preferably equally spaced, onefrom'theother, of any with the members, 2to '6 inclusive throughand side elevational views i respectively of' ifdesired,

suitable or desirednumber and connected l:

the intermediary of nails, screws, or the like. The twooutsidefmembersfl and 6t areinade shorter than the interionmemhers3,4,etcl, asfisclearlyshown'in Fig. 2, V f

and arrangedv-in connection with the in ,ers which are all flush attheir ends, one with another,-to provide equal ofisetsho'ulders at theirends between the The side. sections.

Each side section is composed of longitudinal members 11, 12, 13 and 14,preferably ,of even length and arranged similarly to the. members 2 to 6inclusive of the top and bottom sections, with the exception that 1their ends are arranged flush, one with the other.

These members are likewise connectedtogether by transverse andparallelly arranged bars, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22, allof'which, with the exception of the outer or end bars 15. and 22 are ofsuch length to fall short of the outer sides or edges of the outermembers 11 and 14, a distance equal to the thickness of the mem bers 2and 6 of the top and bottom sections, but the two end bars and 22,arranged with their outer edges flush with the ends of themembers 11 to14 inclusive, extend to the outside edges of the outer members 11 and 14for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. Preferably also the two endbars 15 and 16, and 21 and 22, are spaced from.

one another longitudinally of the members 11' to 14 inclusive, adistance equalto the thickness of the longitudinal members of the endsections tobe hereinafter described.

E'nd sections.

Each end section is composed of longitudinal members 23, 24, and 26, ofequal length and joined together with their ends in alignment by meansof two. or more transverse bars 27 and 28, 1n a manner S11Illlareto themanner of oinmg the parts of the top, bottom, and side sections. Inthese sections, however, the transverse members 27 and 28 not only arearranged tooverlap the outer sides or edges "of the outer members 23 and26 to provide shoulders of a depth equal to the depth of the members 2and 6, but are spaced from the respective ends of the members 23 to 26inclusive to provide shoulders therebetween of a depth equal to thethickness of the bars 15 and 22.

Assembly,

With the several sections constructed as above specified, the crate isready for assembly which is accomplished in the following manner: Thebottom section is laid down with the transverse bars lowermost, the endsections placed thereon with the the bottom engages them.

ends of the bars 27 resting on the tops of members 7 and 10 and abuttingagainst the ends of members 2 and 6, and while these sections aretemporarily supported, the-side sections are set upon the ends ofmembers 7 to 10 inclusive, and the ends of the members 23 to 26inclusive engaged in the slots formed between the bars 15 and 16 and 21and 22 of the side sections thereof. lVhen this has been accomplished,the members 11 to 14 inclusive abut against the ends of members 23 to 26inclusive, while the'interior face of the bars 15 and 22 abut againstthe outer edges of bars 27 and 28 and the interior faces of the members23 to 26 in clusive abut against the, adjacent edge of the bars 16 and21.. The top section is then placed upon the assembled sides, ends, andbottom and interlockingly engages withthe sides and'ends in thesamemanner in which It should be noted particularly that the, transversebars of the top and bottom sections are arranged to be on the outside ofthe crate assembly and to extend in the same direction with one anotherat similar points of the assembly structure, i. e., top and bottom bars,7 8, 9, and 10, are relatively arranged'in the same positions withrespect to the crate. .Thus steel or other metal bands 30, 31, 32 and33' may be secured about the structure against" the outer faces of themembers 11 to 14 in elusive along the length of the bottom faces ofthebars 7 to 10 inclusive and along the length of the faces of the top bars7 to 10 inclusive. I

Metal straps, such as those referred to in the foregoing paragraph, maybe readily purchased on the open market at. nominal cost, and for thisreason. when the crate has reached its destination, these straps may beout or otherwise destroyed and new ones used to replace them on re-useof the crate. After the crate has been opened at its destination and itscontents removed. the several sections may be securedtogether in anysuitable manner and, in their collapsed condition, assembled into a verysmall space, as will be obvious, for return shipment to the manufactureror other point of'origination of shipment. This feature enables thecrate to be used over and over again, effecting great economy in lumberand manufacturing costs, while theslight cost of. return shipment isnegligible.

It will also be appreciated that pressure tending to urge the top andbottom sections toward one another intermediate the ends thereof will beresisted by engagement of the the outside members of the top and bottomsections abutting against the ends of the barsof the side sections andby abuttingengagement of the bars of the top and bottom sections againstthe edges of the outside members of the slde sect1ons,wh1le pressure atZthe ends 'of the top "and-*bottom sect-ions 4 will -beresistedbyabutting-engagement of eons toward one anotherqwill be effectively and aplurality of longitudinally spaced resisted-by; "abutting engagement ofthe outside ,members of the side sections against the voutside. edges ofthe outside -1nembe'rsof the top and bottom sections-and byi abutting engagement of the members of theside sections aga'instthei outside edgesof the barsand the ends of the. members'ot the endsection. Pressuretending'to ,urge the end sections toward one another or inwardly of thecrate will be resisted'by. abutting engagement of the members of theIendsections againstthe transverse bars 16 and, 21 oi'zthe Jsidesect-ionsand by the. transverse bars of the end section engaging the .ends of theoutside members otthe top and bottom sections. Relatively enormouspressure may be placed upon the top, botton1, and sides of the crate Ihavedevisedj without danger of breakage or damage'to goodsslnppedwithi-n. The

transversebars of. the top and bottom serve asadditional guards againstdamage to these sections and with the end sections inset fromthe ends of,the top, bottom, and

side sections, little, if'any, danger of break age may be expected inthis direction.

Many variations or modifications may be made within the spirit of theinvention which will clearly fall within the purview of my contribution..For this reason I do not desire to be limited to the details ofconstruction or to the form of the invention shown and described for.illustrative purposes only, but only by the spirit of the invention andthe scope of the appended claims. I r I I claim:

1. A crate comprising; top and bottom sections, each composed of aplurality of parallel and adjacent longitudinal members,the two outsidemembers terminating short of the ends of the interior members,

transverse bars each extending laterally bevond the sides of saidoutside members and the two outside bars each secured with their outsideedges flush with the ends of said interior members; side sections, eachcomposed of a plurality of parallel and adjacent longitudinal members ofeven length. and a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse bars,the two end bars being flush at one side with the ends of saidlongitudinal members and being flush at their respective ends with thesides of the outside longitudinal members, and the intermediate barsterminating short of the outside edges of the two outsidelongitudinal'members;

and end sections, each composed .of adjacent 3. A-crate comprisingparallelly disposed members of even length, i

jacent members with I the outside members terminating short of theendsof the interior members, and a plurality of transverse bars of evenlength each extending laterally be{ yond the-outer sides of the outsidemembers andgtheoutside bars "having their "outside edges'flush with therespective ends ot thev interior members; side sections, each -com-'posed of aplurality of H'ClJHCBHl'I, longitudinal members of evenlength. ands-at leastt hree ti'ansverse bars, two of said bars-being disposed one-across-each composite end of said members and substantiallyflush atone side and both ends with the ends'--and sides respectivelyotthe composite ends, the intermediate bar or bars terminatingshortof-the outer sides of the outside members; ande'nd sections, eachcomposed ot-adjacent-members of even lengthand a pluralityottransverselydisposed bars, oflwhich one' -bar* is-- lace d adjacent each compositeend ot said'ni'embe'rs but spaced therefrom. U

; top and bottom sections, each composed of at least three adjacentmembers with theoutside members terminating short of the ends of theinterior members, and a plurality of transverse bars of even length eachextending laterally beyond the outer sides of the outside members andthe outsidebars having their outside edges flush with the respectiveends of the interior members; side sections, each composed of aplurality of adjacent longitudinal members of even length and at leastthree transverse bars, two of said bars being disposed one across eachcompositeend of said members and substantially flush at one side andboth ends with the ends and sides respective ly of the composite ends,the intermediate bar or bars terminating short of the outer sides of theoutside members; and end sections, each composed of adjacent members ofeven length and a pluralitypf transversely disposed bars,of which onebar is placed adjacenteachcomposite end of said members but spacedtherefrom. said top and bottom,

side and endsections being constructed and arranged to be assembled ininterlocking engagement one with the oth'ers,with the bars of the sidesections interior and the bars of the top and bottom sections exteriorof the crate structure.

- 4. A crate comprising; top and bot-tom sections, one of said sectionsbeing composed of at least three adjacent members with the outsidemembers terminating short of the ends of the interior members, and aplurality of transverse bars of even length each exone across eachcomposite end of said members and substantially flush at one side andboth ends with the ends and sides respectively of the composite ends,the intermediatebars terminating short of the outer sides of the outsidemembers; and end sections,

' one of said sections being composed of'adjacent members of even lengthand a plurality of transversely disposed bars,of which one bar is placedadjacent each composite end of said members butspaced therefrom.

5. A crate comprising; top and bottom sections, each composed of atleast three adjacent members with the outside members terminating, shortof the ends or the interior member or members, and a plurality oftransverse barsof'even length each extending laterally'beyond the outersides of the outside members and the outside bars having their outsideedges flush with the respective ends of the interior member or; members,

side sections, each composed of a plurality of adjacent longitudinalmembers of even length and at least three transverse bars, two of saidbars being disposed one across each composite end of saidmembers andsubstantially flush at one side and both ends with the ends and sidesrespectively of the composite ends, the intermediate bar or barsterminating short of the outer sides of the outside members; endsections, each com-v bottom sections exterior of the crate struc-' ture,and replaceable bands, for securing said sections in assembled relation,about said top, bottom and side sections, extending I along said bars onthe top and bottom sections.

In Witness of the foregoing I affix my signature.

BENNIE E. GAYLORD;

